Oak Frames & Sustainability

Oak frames have been used since the middle ages and can be seen in many of our historic buildings. Today, we realise the economic and aesthetic benefits of old traditions.

Oak is an outstanding material for building purposes. An oak beam is as strong and dependable as any steel joist. It is durable and practical and uniquely, its beauty will increase as it ages. Our oak frames will withstand extreme weather conditions. The attraction of constructing any building from a sustainable resource is obvious, but the timber frame option can be cheaper than brick and is certainly more aesthetically pleasing.

Oak frames are fabricated completely off site by craftsmen who build by the eye. They know how to make nature’s idiosyncrasies work. They are experts at selecting the right piece of wood for its size and shape in such a way that it retains all its strength and beauty. They will use the natural shape of a curved branch to create a curved brace – this will be much stronger than a brace cut from a straight piece of wood. Once a frame is complete, it is flat packed on to a lorry, delivered to site and erected in a matter of days.

Wood has the lowest energy consumption and the lowest carbon dioxide emission of any commonly used building material. It is an organic, non-toxic and naturally renewable material. New build timber framed houses are usually built with green oak, but reclaimed oak frames can be used.

Our timber suppliers partake in reforestation agreements. This means that they ensure that more trees are planted than are felled. New trees produce more oxygen than old trees and also absorb more carbon dioxide.

Wood is a carbon neutral material. The process from tree to beam uses only a small amount of fossil fuel, even allowing for transport. A typical 100 sqm detached timber framed house – conforming to the latest building regulations – produces about four tonnes of carbon dioxide less than the equivalent masonry house. This is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide produced by driving a car 14,000 miles. If all new houses built in the UK since 1945 had been timber framed, more than 300 million tonnes of carbon dioxide would not have been produced.

Wood has good natural insulation, which means that a timber home will heat up more quickly than one of concrete. There is no waste when building with wood. The parts of the logs that are not used for timber are used to make paper, chipboard, heat and energy.